Transcript

>> Another nepotism scandal rocking the French presidential campaign. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux quitting late Tuesday after financial prosecutors opened an inquiry.>>

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> He's suspected of using public funds to pay his daughters for summer jobs in Parliament.

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It's a sore point in France with conservative candidate Francois Fillon's bid tarnished by accusations he paid his wife large sums of state cash for work she didn't do. Le Roux insisting his daughters did actually carry out their work, his prompt resignation contrasting with Fillon's dogged persistence in campaigning.

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As Fillon battles on centrist Emanuel Macron gave a solid performance in the first campaign debate on Monday night. Combating speculation his youth, he's 39, would show up as inexperience. Elizabeth Pineau reports from Paris.>> According to one poll, it's 29% of the people thought that he was very convincing.

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Far ahead of the others, being Francois Fillon and Marion Le Pen. So after this debate that lasted more than three hours and was seen by 10 million people, which is a lot, we can say that the hierarchy's still the same. Favorites are still the favorites.>> Macron further boosted this week by winning the support of a junior socialist minister.

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Others from the party expected to follow. Polls show his closest rival, far-right candidate Le Pen, could win the primaries on April the 23rd, but they say Macron should trounce her in the runoff.